The subject matter disclosed herein relates to turbine systems, and more particularly to an exhaust diffuser for such turbines systems, as well as a method of redirecting a flow within the exhaust diffuser.
Turbine systems often include an exhaust diffuser that reduces the speed of a flow within the turbine system prior to expelling the flow into the atmosphere or another turbine system component and to recover pressure therein. In an effort to reduce the axial dimension of the turbine system, aggressive exhaust diffuser designs have been implemented with a high turn angle that the flow is routed through.
One consequence of a high turn angle for the exhaust diffuser is flow separation proximate at least a portion of a casing wall that defines a duct through which the flow travels, thereby hindering the ability of the exhaust diffuser to reduce the speed of the flow and recover pressure within the duct prior to expulsion. In an effort to overcome the issues related to the high turn angle, while still reducing the axial dimension of the exhaust diffuser, structures such as guide vanes have been introduced into the duct of the exhaust diffuser to more rapidly redirect the flow with an upstream surface, however, flow separation proximate the downstream surface of the structure is typically exhibited, leading to issues similar to those discussed above with respect to flow separation proximate the casing.